Good Charlotte: Cookie Dough
by BensBlueLady
Summary: Just read and enjoy, I think it's pretty good. My first GC Fanfic. Main character Amity is friends with the guys from GC, love trianlge ensues...
1. Default Chapter

AN: Hey everyone!! Apart from being a huge Dark Angel Fan I also really love Good Charlotte!!! This is my first piece of writing about them so please be kind in your reviews. Thanks.

Amity opened the oven and placed her tray of neatly cut cookies inside. The timer began to count down steadily from 12 minutes. 

_'Finally, a break!' _ She thought to herself, having anticipated this moment for a while now. Amity wasn't at work, but none the less she was fairly busy. All day she had been cooking for her new found friends who were all upstairs working on their new album. They hadn't thought up a name for it yet, in fact they hadn't even written more than 3 songs for it, but if it was like anything like their previous 2 albums, the first self-titled 'Good Charlotte' and the second 'The Young and the Hopeless', then Amity was sure it would be great.

It had only been little over a month since she had met her first member of the band, Paul, and since then, the other 4, Benji, Joel, Billy and lastly Dusty, plus Joel and Billy's girlfriends, Morgan and Amy. How nice they'd all been to her, this excluding Morgan who Amity was sure hated her, and how close they'd all become in such a short time.

The Oven beeped to signal that the 12 minutes was up. 

'Had it been that long already?' 

Amity dusted flour off her jeans and opened the oven door. A rush of deliciously scented warm air flooded out to meet her.

_'Ahh…cinnamon' _She relished the smell.

After she had neatly laid the cookies out onto plates to cool, Amity began the gruelling task of cleaning up.

_'A good cook is a tidy cook' _Her mom had always told her. The memory brought a stab of homesickness back to Amity's heart. She had seen her mom only last week and yet it seemed a lot longer. She'd had to give her a call tonight.

"Oh Cookies!!" came an excited voice from behind her. Startled, Amity spun around in time to catch Benji's hand, which was hovering over the plate, in hers.

"Wait till they cool!" She said, trying hard to keep the laughter out of her voice.

Benji looked disappointed but complied with a cheeky smile.

"How's everything going upstairs"? Amity asked, turning back to wiping down the bench.

"It's not going too good to be honest. We managed to get a couple chords down but the lyrics just ain't happening"

"So have you guys finished up for the day or what? It's been pretty quiet," She said, drying her hands.

"Nah. Joel's hoping to fit in as much work today as he can. He want's to take Morgan out shopping tomorrow" Benji's eyes seemed fixated on watching the steam rise from the cookies.

"What for?" Amity asked, her eyes following the tattoos up his arm as she found she often did when talking to Benji.

"Oh you know. Buy her more shit she don't need." He caught her eyes on his arm and held her gaze for a second before shifting back to the cookies.

"I think these are cool now"

"Same, go ahead" She said a little uneasily.

Just then, the rest of the gang arrived, much to Amity's relief. It wasn't, that she didn't like Benji, or that she felt uncomfortable around him. Usually she loved the time they spent together. But just then, the way he had looked at her, if it had lasted any longer…Amity placed a hand to her cheek as though to hide a blush.

"Look Paul, Amity made us cookies!" Benji said to an approaching Paul.

"And they're delicious" He smiled up at her.

Paul took a bite of his and it seemed his whole body slumped into it's own appreciation.

"Amity these are really great!" said Billy.

"Honey, try to get them in your mouth" Said Amy, as she brushed a few crumbs from his t-shirt.

"You know what goes good with cookies?" asked Joel

"Beer" he said before anyone could reply.

"Dude, get one for me" said Dusty, reaching in for a second cookie.

"Morgan, have a cookie" Amity encouraged. She knew that as a dancer, Morgan usually turned down this sort of food, and probably since this time _she_ had made them, Morgan would refuse them again, but she had to at least try to be civil.

"No thank you" Said Morgan, staring down at the plate and then up at Amity.

"They're really good" Joel called from the fridge.

"I'm sure they are, and thank you for the offer but I'm watching my figure. Though, I'm not the only one who should be…" She trailed off but not before casting an accusing glare at Amy, who it was no secret had gained a couple of pounds over the past couple weeks.

If Amy had felt any hurt from Morgan's snide remark, she showed no signs of it. She just narrowed her blue eyes and tossing her bouncy blonde curls, continued to munch on her cookie.

Morgan stalked off quietly upstairs and soon after, Joel followed, claiming he had 'Morgan Maintenance' to attend to.

"Amity, you'll have to get me the recipe," Amy said sweetly as she finished up her mouthful.

"I'll call you tonight" Amity promised.

"We'd better get back to it" Billy said and took Amy by the arm.

They left the room leaning against each other and halfway up the stairs both broke up in a series of giggles.

"Come on Paul" said Dusty, tearing Paul away from the cookies and taking another can of beer for himself before ascending the stairs. As they were heading up Amity managed to catch some of their conversation.

"Buddy I think your dreams have been answered. Your Girlfriends a hell of a cook" Dusty joked.


	2. Naive

Amity nearly choked on her cookie and had to drop it while she searched the room for something to wash it down with.

"Here take this" Benji said placing his untouched glass of milk in her hand

Amity took it graciously and with one sip, managed to dislodge the piece of cookie from her throat.

"What was all that about?" Benji asked, once he was sure she could breath again.

"Dusty…he…Benji, is that what you think? I mean, you all think that me and Paul?"

Benji furrowed his brow as he considered her words.

"Well…a couple of people have just assumed that things between you and Paul have…"

"Have what?" Amity blurted out, failing to hide her alarm.

"Changed" Benji replied cautiously.

Amity, suddenly feeling the need to sit down, pulled out a bench stool. 

How had this happened? She'd never given Paul any reason to believe that their relationship was, or ever would be, anything more than plutonic. She liked Paul but not like that! Not as a boyfriend.

"I'm guessing in your mind things haven't changed?" Observed Benji.

"Why would he think that thing's have changed?" Amity said, more to herself than to Benji.

"Well I have no idea. But right about now, I'm feeling a little bad for Paul. I mean I know he likes you, we all do. Paul isn't exactly the greatest at concealing his feelings, especially when girls are involved. 

"I guess it was naïve of me Benji, but I honestly just see Paul as a friend. I just assumed that he felt the same way and now to find out that he doesn't"

"So now that you know that he doesn't, what are you going to do?" Benji asked. He suddenly seemed extremely interested.

"I don't know" Amity said, shaking her head slightly. She felt horrible.

"Well, is it really so out of the question that you and Paul…I mean…" Benji sensed Amity's eyes on him and decided he had better tread carefully.

"Is it that you're already involved…or…is there someone else…or…is it just Paul himself?"

Amity gently shook her head.

"There's no one else…and…I guess there's no reason why things between us couldn't…_change_" She caught Benji's eye as she delivered that last word. Benji suddenly worried that he had offended her in some way.

Amity, who had turned to gazing out the window to find solace, suddenly caught sight of something, which lifted her mood intensely. She practically leapt from her stool and after grabbing a plate from the fridge, headed out the back door.

"Where are you going?" Benji called as he tried to catch up.

Amity turned around to face him but continued moving down the steps backwards. Benji was sure that she'd fall and that worried him tremendously.

"While I was baking in the kitchen I kept seeing this stray dog hanging around your place. I'm guessing Cash's food bowl attracted him"

"And…" Benji hurried her to the point while speeding up just in case she stumbled.

To his relief she stopped and took the lid off the plate she was carrying to show him its contents.

"These are the cookies that didn't quite make the grade," She explained, holding up a deformed cookie for him to see.

Benji laughed.


	3. Vets and Bills

They soon found the dog, huddled in a corner behind the shed. The poor thing looked as though it hadn't eaten in days and it's coat was dirty and in places, matted. 

"Here boy, come on. Don't be scared, I've brought you food see?" Amity coaxed it with a cookie.

"How do you know it's a boy?" Benji asked, smiling down at her cutely.

"Well girl doggies don't usually have those" Amity pointed to the dogs exposed nudity.

Now it was Benji's turn to blush.

The dog whimpered and began to crawl cautiously towards her. It was obviously too starving to be so timid. 

"Come on" she repeated soothingly.

The scared dog ate the cookie hungrily, savouring every bite. After it was done with the plate it licked all over Amity's hands and arms. It seemed to like the taste of Benji's shoes too. It went from the shoes to Amity's arms and at one stage even attempted to lick her face. 

"Up you come" Benji said as he pulled Amity away from the wild dog's tongue.

"Shouldn't let him do that till he gets checked out"

"Oh Benji he's beautiful. I want to keep him. Will you take us to the vet so I can get him…" Amity stopped as she realised her mistake. Benji was busy, he had a whole new album to help produce. She couldn't ask him to take time out to take her and her new mangy pooch to the vet.

"Well I know there's a vet not far from here. Let me just get my keys" Amity couldn't believe her ears.

"Benji thank you!" she would have hugged him had Joel not leaned out of the window that very instant.

"Benji! Get the fuck back inside, we need you! Whose dog is that?"

"A Stray!" Benji called back

"Am- found him, we're taking him to the vet so I may be awhile!"

Joel seemed to consider for a moment and then it appeared that someone inside had called him back.

"Hold on!" he yelled before ducking inside.

Amity suddenly felt a little rotten.

"If you have to work, then you should work…I'm sure I can find the way on my own"

"Forget it!" Benji said, like it was nothing.

"All the other guys take time off for their problems and there girl…"

"Hey! Paul wants to go too!!" Joel shouted down, cutting Benji off.

Amity wondered if the next word that would have come out of Benji's mouth, had he not been interrupted, was going to 'girlfriends' but decided not to give it too much thought.

Just then, Paul burst through the backdoor and ran through the garage to meet them.

"Benji, Joel want's you upstairs." He said puffing.

"If you want, I can, uh, take Amity to the vet" 

Benji who seemed to have be studying Paul and sizing him up, smiled and turned back to Amity.

"Is that cool?" he asked

"Yeah" she replied weakly.

"Drive safe then bro" He threw Paul his keys and then with one last wicked grin, dashed back inside.

After an hour of waiting to be seen, then a further 2 hours for the nurses to clean the dog up and give it it's vaccinations, they were nearly ready to go home.

"He's had a pretty rough couple of weeks," The vet told Amity.

"He's a lucky dog that you found him when you did, I don't think he would have survived the week"

"So apart from the under nourishment he's fine?" Amity asked hopefully.

"Well, it will take a while, but I'd say that with you looking after him and regular check ups, he should be as good as gold again in no time"

"Thank you so much, can I see him now?" 

"I'm just having the nurses take his weight and prepare his medicine for you to give him at home, they'll also have the ownership papers ready for you to sign"

"Is there, like a pet shop around here so I can get him a few things…like food? You see I'm kinda unprepared," Amity admitted sheepishly.

"Of course, there's a pet shop out around the back. Maybe your boyfriend would like to help you choose a collar" Amity was about to correct him but failed to see the point. It seemed the world was in on getting her together with Paul. And maybe they were all right? He did care enough to bring her all the way down here.

After choosing a collar, Amity headed back to the counter in time to see Paul paying for the vet bills.

"Paul, what are you…?"

"Forget about it, it's nothing," He said shyly, while doing his best to shove the receipt in his pocket before she could see it.

"Paul how much was it? I'll pay you back," she said tearing at the paper in his hand until he let it go.

$886!!!!

"Forget about it, really" he insisted and although Amity knew that she _should_ pay him back right away, she couldn't help but get the feeling that this was what he really wanted.

"Here he is!" said a fat jolly male vet-nurse and lead the dog out to meet Amity.

Amity couldn't believe her eyes! Under all that dirt, a truly beautiful dog had been hiding. He bounded up to her with such renewed joy and vigour that Amity began to cry. She wrapped her arms around the dog's neck as he muzzled her ear gently.

"Here are the papers, if you could just sign here, here and here," The nurse said, producing a pen.

After she did as she was told the nurse turned to her with a smile.

"Congratulations! You've just become the proud owner of a male Rhodesian Ridgeback pup"

"What shall I call him?" she asked Paul as they made their way back to Benji's jeep.

_'How about expensive'_ thought Paul, and then felt utterly ashamed of himself.

"Oh I can't wait to show you to Benji!" Amity proclaimed to the dog.

"Why Benji?" Paul said quickly, maybe a little too quickly because he received a strange look from Amity.

"Because Benji and I kinda found him together," She replied.

"Oh" Paul said, doing his best to conceal his relief.

The car ride home was done mostly in silence because for most of the journey Amity was deep in thought. Apart from the fact that she now had a dog that she had nowhere to keep, since she lived in a second storey flat with her cousin, she was also thinking about why she had so badly wanted to show Benji the dog. Sure, he had kinda helped her find it but not really…why had his name been so close to her lips? Why had he been on the top of her mind?


	4. Dates with Older, Beautiful women

The following morning, Amity was greeted early by, the friendly faces of none other than Billy and Amy.

"You forgot to call me last night" Said Amy, pretending annoyance.

"Oh so I did. You know these days even I can't say where my mind is half the time. But, now since you're here I'll grab you the recipe." Amity replied, making her way through her flat and into the kitchen.

"Hey boy" she heard Billy call out as her pup ran out to greet him.

"Here" Amity handed Amy a folded piece of paper.

"You know Amity, a second storey flat is no place for a dog this young and energetic," said Billy thoughtfully as he stroked the dog's head.

"I know, but what other option is there? I take him for walks when I can."

"Poor little puppy all locked up inside all day" Amy said, making baby faces.

"Have you thought of a name for him yet?" she asked.

"No- actually I hadn't even thought of it…" Amity admitted, surprised.

"I think you should call him Pumpkin" Amy offered delightfully.

"Guys I think I have an idea" said Billy who had been quiet for some time, appearing to be in the deepest of thought.

"Why don't you keep him at our place. I mean, you could visit him whenever you come over and he can run around the yard and play with Cash"

Another thing about Billy was that whenever he had a suggestion it was sheer brilliance.

"That's a great idea!" Amy said, enthusiastically hugging Billy to show how proud she was of him.

"It is" Amity was quick to agree.

"Well, you know my feelings on the subject, but to be on the safe side you'd better get Benji, Joel and Paul's permission as well. Though, I'm pretty sure that Paul will be only too happy to agree" Billy added slyly.

The afternoon saw Amity approaching Benji and Joel's band house. She was pretty confident that she'd have Benji's vote, and if she didn't, she had cunningly brought her pup along with her in order to sway his vote with it's cuteness.

Joel's vote was the one she was uncertain about. Out of all the guys, excluding Dusty who she hadn't seen _that_ much of, since he only ever stayed at the house when he _really _had too, Joel was the one she had learned the least about. Why would be do her any favours by letting her new pup help his own dog tear up his back lawn.

As she knocked 3 times on the door to announce her arrival, nervousness crept over her. She half hoped that Joel wasn't home.

As nearly a minute had now passed and still no answer, she decided to knock one more time, just incase anyone was asleep, and then leave.

She only got as far as two knocks before the door swung open.

"Benji" she said, a little relieved.

"What's up? Oh you brought him over to play with Cash for the day," he said, observing she was not alone.

"Yeah…uh play with Cash for the day. Or, um, play with Cash for the day…everyday" She laughed nervously and bit her lip.

Benji appeared to catch her drift but looked a little stunned.

"Everyday…are you moving in?" He asked, missing the point.

Amity had to laugh.

"No I, uh, Billy and Amy came and saw me this morning and they noticed that my place, being upstairs and all, is not exactly ideal for raising a dog and…"

"And Billy suggested you bring him here?" Benji finished. 

"Perceptive" Amity teased.

"And you're here to see how I feel about it?"

Amity nodded slowly.

"Well it's cool with me. And I can say with about 99% surety that it'll be cool with Joel too" 

"Only 99%?" she said feebly. 

"I'll talk him round, or slap him silly" He smiled at her and headed over to inspect himself in the mirror. It was then that Amity realised that Benji was about to go out somewhere.

"So, what do you think?" he asked, turning away from the mirror and facing her.

"Very suave indeed" Amity commented, her eyes travelling from head to toe. New shoes, dress pants, new shirt…tie! This was definitely not Benji's usual attire, where on earth was he going?

"Big date tonight?" she asked inquisitively.

He looked at her for a second as though she had just said the dumbest thing in the world and then, obviously noticing that she was serious, delivered his reply.

"You know it" he said with a wink, and went back to fumbling with his tie.

"Anyone I'd know?" Amity asked as she went over to help him with it.

"Nope" 

These short answers were killing her! She felt a great urge to know everything about this woman, though, she did not know why.

"So tell me about her, what's she like?" She asked, taking the tie between her fingers.

Benji surrendered his struggle over to her and smiled.

"Well let's see…Older woman, extremely beautiful…" Amity hated her already.

"Likes it when I call her…" Amity nearly choked him on his tie. He quickly grabbed it from her hands and loosened it into position.

"Mom" he finished, an innocent look on his face.

Amity felt a rush of relief.

"Oh…. your mother!" she went to laugh but then noticed that Benji was not laughing with her.

"She, uh, is your mother right?" she said, momentarily unsure.

Suddenly there came a loud crash at the front door and shortly after, in rushed Joel.

"You're late!" Benji scolded.

"Yeah I got caught up with Morgan" Joel explain, he seemed breathless and as Amity noticed, a little angry.

"She here?" Benji asked.

"She ain't coming" Joel said and it was now evident that Morgan was right at the root of his frustration.

As Joel rushed upstairs to get dressed, Amity, who had the feeling that a cloud had formed over her and Benji, since he hadn't said a word to her after the whole choking incident, decided it best she keep out of his way for a while. Paul and her were supposed to be having a video night together anyway, and already it was 6 o'clock. 


	5. Dental Hygiene

After one and a half hours of watching Spiderman, Paul's choice, Amity was ready to go to sleep. They had already watched the Scorpion King and even through that she had been feeling tired. Paul had been the perfect gentleman all night and had even made her dinner. Sure it was a simple macaroni and cheese meal but still, it was very thoughtful and sweet of him.

As Mary Jane and Spiderman kissed in the rain, Amity felt her heavy lids close once more. This time she knew that she was falling asleep but decided to give into it. Surely Paul would understand.

Benji's night out with his mother and Joel had been so perfect that it made returning home a bit of a drag. 

"Do you think mom was upset about not meeting Morgan again?" Joel asked him, for about the thousandth time that night, as the two made their way up the back steps.

"Joel, there'll be other times" Benji replied consolingly.

As they entered the back door, they saw something that made them stop. The living room lights were still on and the TV was blaring noise.

_"You've spun your last web, Spiderman" _Benji heard the green goblin say.

Joel, who was leading, suddenly turned around and ushered for Benji to hurry up.

"What is it?" Benji said confused.

"Shhhhh" Joel motioned for quiet with his finger to his lips.

Deciding it better to just go and take a look at whatever it was Joel was raving on about, Benji dropped his wallet and keys on the counter and went over to take a look.

Even though he had seen the movie like 10 times, Paul always found he got nervous during the fight scenes. The parts in the movie where it suddenly becomes unclear as to whether or not the hero will crush the villain and destroy his evil plans for world domination. Eating always helped Paul in these moments and so he looked around for the popcorn bowl. He soon found it, resting comfortably behind the head of a sleeping Amity! How would he work this one out?

After a moment's deliberation, he decided to just go for it. He could always explain himself if she woke up. He reached over and slowly took the bowl.

"Looks like Paul's finally getting himself some action" Whispered Joel rudely to Benji.

And from where the two of them stood, it certainly looked like he was.

"Yeah…" Benji said quietly. Lost for words.

4:01am flashed on the DVD player as Amity awoke from her sleep. Paul was gone and the lights were turned down low. Someone had covered her in an opened sleeping bag and even placed a couple of pillows on the floor in case she happened to roll off the couch.

_Paul_ Amity assumed.

Yawning, she got up off the couch and headed upstairs to the bathroom.

Walking quietly down the hall, Amity noticed that she wasn't the only one in the house that was up. A light shone on in Benji's room. She tiptoed up to his door, which was slightly ajar, and peeked inside. Benji was sitting cross-legged on his window seat, a pen and paper in hand.

"Benji, it's 4 o'clock in the morning," She whispered from where she stood.

Benji looked startled to see her, like someone who had just been caught doing something wrong. Amity wondered at this as he cleared his throat.

"Can't sleep" he softly replied.

"Can I come in?" Amity asked, feeling suddenly cold and exposed in the hall.

"Yeah, sure" Benji got up and began clearing a space on his bed for her to sit. T-shirts, papers and guitar picks all got dropped on the floor.

"Thanks" Amity took the seat and yawned.

"Can't sleep either?" Benji asked, his eyes wide and at tentative.

"Lying on the downstairs couch made me feeling like I was sinking. I'm sure I was having dreams about being out at sea," Amity said thoughtfully.

"You could have the spare room. If you like, I could help you make it up?" Benji was so sweet.

"What _spare_ room?" Amity said jokingly.

"The one downstairs, to the left of the…" Benji caught her drift.

"Dusty" 

"Yeah" Amity smiled. There was something about being here with Benji, in his room, at this hour, talking, that just seemed so right to her.

"If you're tired, you could always have my room. I mean it's a bit messy but the bed's comfy." Amity was surprised. There was definitely something different with him tonight. Maybe it had something to do with what he had been writing…or maybe he was just in a really good mood after having dinner with his mom. Amity knew he cared for her a lot.

"Benji, I can't take your room off you. I could probably go back to sleep if I really tried. I think I'll just go and wash my face, have a glass of hot chocolate and try again"

Amity raised herself from the bed and turned to leave.

"Oh Benji" He looked up.

"How was your dinner?" She asked with a smile.

"It was really great…thanks" He replied, returning her smile and adding a twinkle in his eye.

"I'm glad it went well. You know, you should really try to get some rest, I hear from Paul that Joel's gonna work you all rotten tomorrow"

Benji's happiness slipped a notch at the mention of Paul, but still he kept the smile on his face.

"I will, goodnight Amity"

Passing down the rest of the hall and into the bathroom, Amity smiled to herself. How nice it was of Benji to offer her his room for the night. And how tuned in to her needs he had seemed. In many ways he was the perfect guy for her. Funny, witty, sensitive, charming…not to mention gorgeous…if only…

As Amity tried to complete her train of thought in her head, she glanced up at the toothbrush rack. Benji and Joel's brushes were the same, Blue and white, except that Benji had taken a permanent marker and written his name on his. Before she could stop herself, or even have time to think about what she was doing, Amity found her fingertips gently brush over his writing. And in that moment, everything suddenly became clear to her.

She was in love with Benji!! She always had been, and a part of her had always known it. Sure, Paul would be upset but she couldn't let his happiness stand in the way of hers, she loved Benji and now all she had to do was tell him how she felt!!!

Amity turned from the mirror and vanished out the door, but arriving at Benji's door, she was utterly deflated to see that his light was now off! He had taken her advice and turned in.

_Damnit! _Amity thought to herself as she stood on the threshold.

The most important news I've ever had to share in my life and it has to wait for morning!


	6. Brotherly Hugs

Brotherly Hugs 

_So now that I know I love Benji, how should I go about letting him know?_ Amity pondered, as she sat across the table from him at breakfast and watched him slowly eat his 'lucky charms' cereal. Just the way he selected his charms before he ate them, and the way the milk slightly spilled back over his lips gave Amity shivers.

"What's up with you today?" Amy asked, snapping Amity out of her trance and bring her back into the real world.

"What do you mean?" She replied, quickly tearing her eyes away from Benji's mouth and forcing them on Amy's pretty face.

"Well you've hardly touched your crepe, which I know to be really nice because I made them myself, and it's like you're in some kind of…. daze" Amy finished, selecting her words carefully.

Amity breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God Amy had failed to realize that she'd been staring at Benji for a full 10 minutes now.

As Benji's eyes left his cereal and focused on her, Amity felt the inkling of a flush.

She quickly got up from her seat and went over to the fridge.

"I just need a drink. You know, good ol' re-hydration," She said dumbly, hoping they'd both buy it.

"Well if you're not going to eat your crepe, can I have it?" Benji inquired, already reaching for it.

"Sure" Amity agreed. 

Bad idea!

Now she was forced to watch as Benji rolled the crepe between his strong fingers and began to drizzle maple syrup…

_'Oh Lord' _Amity thought

'If he licks his fingers I'm gone' 

"Excuse me" She said hurriedly and walked briskly out of the room.

_'You've got to get a grip' _She told herself as she ran a trembling hand through her hair.

'Acting the way you just did, it can't happen again, it was just so…. so…' 

"Stupid" She said out loud, finding the right word.  

"What was stupid?" A voice asked from behind her.

"Paul, uh, nevermind. I didn't hear you come up. Did you sleep well last night? Are you going for breakfast?" Amity decided it best that she shut up right now. She scratched nervously at the back of her neck and glanced back to the dining area. From where she stood, she could still see half of Benji's back. She took a step forward to remove him from her peripheral vision.

"I ah" Paul began, not knowing which question to answer first, and taken a little aback by Amity's sudden giant step towards him.

"I've had breakfast already" He finally answered.

"Paul I think we need to talk" Amity thought it best she let him down now.

"Should we maybe go somewhere for this?" Paul asked, unsure.

"Yeah, it could take a while" 

The two of them headed back down the hall and out into the yard.

"I want to start by telling you how much of a great time I had last night with you. Even though I feel asleep" She grinned and nervously thrust her hands into the back pockets of her jeans.

Paul only nodded and Amity got the feeling that he knew what was coming next.

"Paul I really value our friendship and I don't want to ever do anything that will jeopardise it. But I feel that it's unfair to you if I let this go on any longer." Paul's eyes were downcast and Amity began to toe at the ground with her shoe.

"Paul, the reason that I can't be with you is…" 

"There's someone else" He breathed out the words and looked up at her. He was now pretty calm and looked to be in good spirits about the whole thing. But how had he known? Had she been _that_ obvious? Surely that couldn't be the case since she herself had only realised her feelings for Benji early this morning.

"I'm sorry, I should have phrased that more like a question" Paul apologised.

"You don't have to say anything. It's just that I…Well to be perfectly honest, I've kinda sensed from the start that your feelings may have been elsewhere."

Amity nodded and smiled. Paul's perception was astounding. Even she herself hadn't even known.

"So I guess this means that _we _won't be going to this party anymore tonight?" 

"Oh no, we could definitely still go. I mean, my dress is all ready and we've already made arrangements" Amity suddenly felt a little silly. For all she knew, Paul wouldn't even want to go with her anymore.

"That is if you don't have anyone else in mind to go with" She added, a little embarrassed at her brashness.

"Not really" Paul admitted.

"Great" Amity was glad. Things were going better than she had ever hoped.

"I better get back" Paul said, looking back to the house.

"Yeah" She agreed and wrapped her arms around herself.

"Um, Paul" She called before he had reached the steps.

"Yeah" he turned around

"Things aren't going to be…well, weird between us…right?" She began to bite her lip once more.

Paul, who had been suspecting that things would be a little strange between them, was suddenly disarmed by Amity's fragility and felt an overwhelming urge to comfort and reassure her that everything would be ok. He took the 10 paces back to her in his stride and wrapped his arms around her in a protective brotherly hug.

"Don't worry" He spoke gently into her ear.

A tear slid down Amity's cheek.


	7. Heart to heart

Heart to heart 

Benji, who had seen the hug shared between Amity and Paul outside, was now in a bit of a huff.

Part of it was due to the fact that he was dateless for tonight's party, and part of it was due to the troubled sleep he had experienced last night, where he had been tossing and turning with a sick feeling in his gut. Mostly though, his ill temper was due to the feelings of rage and rejection that he had suppressed for so long but which seemed to resurface whenever he saw Paul and Amity together. So, later that afternoon when Amity had come to him with more conversations of her relationship with Paul, he had felt the need to shut her up quickly and move her on.

He hadn't let her get any further _than "Hey Benji, can I talk to you for a sec? It's about me and Paul…"_ When he had tried to brush her off with…

"Amity, look, I don't want to hear it. Upstairs we're all working like dogs just so we can take time off for tonight" To which she had said…

"But Benji, this is really important and after our talk last night I came to a stunning revelation that I really want to share with you…and…" After that he had opted for his crushing speech that had gone a little like this…

" Amity I really don't have the time or the interest to discuss you and Paul's anaemic relationship and my advice to you is to use your own brain for a change, no matter how blonde it may be, and try for once to sort things out yourself!"

Reflecting on that conversation now, Benji realised his dreaded mistake. Just picturing the way Amity's face had fallen after his first dose, to the pained and heartbroken way she had began to cry once he was done, made his own heart feel like it had been put in a vice. What an asshole he was! He vowed that if she let him near her tonight then he would make things right between them again and restore their relationship to what it had been before. But even that thought bothered Benji. What had their relationship been before? Had they truly been 'just friends'? Benji was sure there had been moments when he had been with Amity and he had felt as though the both of them were standing near the edge of a precipice, one step away from crossing the boundaries of friendship and venturing out into the wonderful realm of…what was he thinking? Amity probably hated him now. No, whatever they had before, or whatever they could have had before was lost. If, with all his apologies, he even afforded himself conversation with her it would be a miracle, and one that he certainly didn't deserve.

It was now 9 o'clock. A whole 5 hours had passed since his argument with Amity and Benji was now well into his 3rd round of drinks with Dusty at the bar. Joel and Morgan had arrived with them and Benji hadn't seen either of them for nearly an hour now. He didn't care though. Billy and Amy were laughing and dancing and having a good time. Benji didn't care much about that either though. He felt awful and the drinks, though he kept them coming, weren't helping.

The club they were at began to play the song 'Drowning' By Crazytown. He knew the song and had met the band a couple of times, but to be honest, he'd never really listened to the lyrics of this particular song. Now, they seemed to describe the way he felt pretty damn well.
    
    _…I'm thinkin', just another breath, Not a minute left, how long have I been drifting?_
    
     …._ People say I'm a star but I still think I'll never make it, and I'm thinkin, just another prayer, Not a second left, I feel there's something missing,_
    
    _… Sometimes I hate that chaos surrounds me, when all the answers that I see fall around me,_
    
    _…Am I drowning, am I fading away?_
    
    _Or am I living' up to all your dreams that made me this way,_
    
    _Am I drowning?…_
    
    Thinking about drowning suddenly made Benji remember something someone had said to him recently.
    
    _"Lying on the downstairs couch made me feel like I was sinking. I'm sure I was having dreams about being out at sea,"___

_'Who had said that?' _Benji didn't have to think for long. Ever since his verbal assault on her, her name had never strayed from his thoughts.

'Amity' 

Benji looked up longingly to the front door of the club and was dumbfounded by what he saw. Or rather, _whom_ he saw.

As though his thinking about her had caused her to materialise out of thin air, there stood Amity. Looking positively gorgeous in a classy black dress and heals. Her honey blonde hair shone like spun gold and, as Benji noticed, had been loosely curled for the occasion. She truly was a vision. A princess from another world, and yet, she looked so sad. Guilt overcame Benji as he realised that he was probably at the source of her displeasure. He was two seconds away from getting up to go over to her when in walked Paul and took her arm.

_'He's going to bring her over here' _Benji realised, turning around to see Dusty had taken a break from the cute waitress he had been chatting up, to wave Paul over to join them.

_'He's going to take me over there!' _ Amity thought, her palms sweating at the sight of Benji.

"Uh, Paul" She spoke nervously but she couldn't help it.

"Yeah" he stopped.

"I wanted to go and find Amy first ok, I have something to tell her, but I'll be with you soon ok?" He looked a little disappointed and for a second Amity feared that coming as his date tonight was a bad idea.

"That's cool, I'll see you when I see you then" He said, and made his way over to Benji and Dusty.

Benji saw as Amity left Paul and hurried off in the opposite direction.

'Well that's that then." He thought as he watched her leave.

'She hates me' 

Feeling the direst of needs to be as far away from Benji as was possible, Amity had lied to Paul. She really had no intention whatsoever of finding Amy and instead was making her way over to the bathrooms to cry.

"Like I told you! I was busy" Amity heard a raised female voice say as she approached the back of the club.

"Oh Bullshit Morgan! Why won't you just tell me the truth for once!" Amity recognised the voice instantly as Joel's. What was all this about?

"I'm trying but you won't listen! You keep insisting on making this hard for me don't you Joel! You should really hear yourself! You sound ridiculous!"

"Hey we're not done here!" She heard Joel say.

"Don't be so sure about that" Morgan came back. Her voice was icy.

"I know you weren't at dancing. Morgan I called Kim, she said she hasn't seen you all week!"

"Oh so now you're keeping tabs on me! I can't believe you!"

"Well what was I supposed to do? Three times you've blown this off already. Last night just made it number four" Joel sounded really hurt now.

"I said I was sorry, alright?" Morgan pleaded.

"Well I'm sorry too Morgan. Because I don't think I can do this with you anymore"

"You're breaking up with me?" Amity had never heard Morgan sound so weak.

"No. I just think we need time apart. You need time to re-evaluate your priorities and I need time to…" Joel's voice had calmed down now and Amity had to strain to hear what he was saying.

_"Remember what it is that I love about you" _Had that been it? Amity wasn't too sure.

 No time to give it anymore thought though, Joel rounded the corner and nearly walked right into her. He registered who she was but said nothing.

Amity walked over to where Morgan stood like a frozen statue and placed a hand on her shoulder.

To her surprise Morgan didn't tell her to F'off. In fact, she began to cry. Amity brought Morgan in for a hug and then led her into the bathroom to clean up her running mascara.

"I bet you're enjoying this" Morgan mumbled through tears.

"No, Morgan…" Amity grabbed another tissue and handed it to Morgan.

"In fact, I was on my way over here to do the very same thing" She admitted.

"You?" Morgan sounded shocked.

"Don't sound so surprised" Amity said, sounding utterly sad and hopeless but not caring.

"I don't know exactly what's going on with you and Joel but I do know that he loves you very much" Morgan was looking at her as though she never expected those words to ever come out of her mouth.

"If you want a real problem then try being in love with someone who not only doesn't feel the same way but…"Amity's voice cracked as she battled to stay in control.

"Hates you" She finished and shut her eyes and tried to swallow her heartache.

"What a jerk!" Morgan snapped

"Aren't men such total rejects? He had better pray that _I_ never meet him"

Amity couldn't believe her ears. This was Morgan after all. The same Morgan that had turned her snotty little nose up at nearly everything Amity did or said. Only seconds ago Morgan had been the wreck and Amity the strong one. How had things reverse themselves so quickly?

"Actually you do know him" Amity decided to get the whole ugly story out. She'd feel better for it.

"I do not!" Morgan gasped; horrified that such a 'reject' as she put it, could have been hiding in her midst.

"I'm afraid you do" Amity confirmed and began to tell her tale.

When she was done Morgan began to laugh, much to Amity's disgrace.

_'Great way to kick me when I'm down Morgan' _She thought.

"I'm sorry" Morgan said, waving away air in front of her face and coughing.

"No worry. I guess I never saw the funny side" Amity said, casting her eyes to the floor.

"Oh Am- don't get me wrong. I wasn't laughing at you. It's just…you see I always thought you'd end up with Benji. When I first met you Benji had just come out of a really bad relationship and I…"

"But I'm not with Benji!" Amity cut her off and brought that fact to her attention.

"Yeah but you will be" Morgan was smiling at her now. Amity felt utterly confused.

"Morgan, have you not heard anything that I just said?" She really did have to wonder.

"Yeah yeah, Benji was a little short with you and bla bla bla. Amity, that doesn't mean shit except that he likes you too!"

"What? That makes no sense at all," Amity, thought the suggestion absolutely preposterous. 

"Hello, welcome to the world of men honey" Morgan chimed but seeing that Amity was at a complete loss, continued with her theory.

"Ok, bare with me here for a sec ok? Say you're Benji and you like Amity. Now, how is seeing her hanging around with Paul everyday gonna make you feel? And now imagine that Amity comes up to you one day wanting to talk to you about her relationship with Paul. How do you react, being Benji?"

"I guess I…I don't know. I guess I'm a little pissed off that she's with Paul and not me but…" Amity didn't really believe what she was saying. No way in hell would Benji ever be interested in her! The only reason she was even having this conversation was to indulge Morgan.

"See! There you have it in one" Morgan said smugly. 

Amity smiled.

"So what about you and Joel?" She asked and instantly wished that she hadn't.

Morgan's face fell.

"It's my fault. He's angry with me because I didn't go to dinner with him and his mother the other night"

Amity, found this a little hard to believe, and so, pressed on.

"That seems a little childish of him. I mean, haven't you guys been going out for nearly a year now? Just because you missed one dinner with his mother…" Amity stopped as she saw in Morgan's face that there was something about all this that she wasn't quite getting.

"Well, technically, it hasn't exactly been just the one dinner" Morgan raised her left hand to her mouth and began to nibble at her nails.

"Morgan…how many has it been?" Amity asked.

Morgan bit her nails till Amity stopped her. Then she turned to the mirror and frowned at her reflection.

"Actually, I've never met his mother" She said casually.

"Never? Not once in the whole year that you've been with Joel?" Amity couldn't believe this.

As it turned out, it was true. Morgan had never met Joel's mother in the entire year that they had been together. And every time Joel suggested it Morgan felt herself go into a panic. She was utterly terrified of the thought of meeting the women.

"But why?" Amity tried to get a grasp on Morgan's perspective.

"She's the only woman that was ever there for Joel for his entire life so far! She raised him, nursed his cuts and bruises. He loves her so much. And here I am…"

"The woman that he wants to spend the _rest_ of his life with" Amity chipped in

Morgan shook her head.

"What if she doesn't like me? Her opinion of me will mean the world to Joel"

"And how do you think her opinion of you is faring so far? I mean, between you ditching meets with her and all" Amity knew it was harsh but it had to be said.

"You're right! I know you're right, but Amity, I'm so scared" Morgan's voice began to shake.

"Scared of what? Morgan you're a beautiful, talented and capable girl. Any mother would be over the moon to have you as a daughter in law. You're any mother who has a son's dream"

Morgan laughed nervously and shook her head. She knew Amity was right; it was time to face up to her life and take charge.

"How about we make a pact?" She suggested and turned to Amity.

"A pact?" Amity asked.

"Yeah. You and me, right here, right now" Morgan placed her hand on the bathroom sink counter.

"Ok, what are we pledging to?" Amity laughed and placed her hand on top of Morgan's.

"To tell the men that we love how we really feel about them. For me to meet Joel's mom and to be so charming that she can't help but love me. And for you to get that Benji boy and show him that you're not going to take his shit. He can try as hard as he likes to push you away but you'll bounce back, and keep coming back till…"

"Ah, Morgan" Amity interrupted.

"I'm going home to be with my mom for a while. I've already booked my ticket…I leave tomorrow"

The look on Morgan's face looked as though she was losing a best friend.

"When are you coming back? Benji that bastard! I could just ring his neck for making you do this"

"It's not all his fault. I miss home"

 Morgan understood. She was a long way from her home too. If she didn't have Joel…she suddenly realised it must be hell for Amity, having no one. Well she wouldn't let this happen! If Amity wanted to run away then she could. But not till after Morgan told Benji everything! And then scolded him for acting like a complete dick to her new found friend…

"I feel we should say something to finish this off," Amity said, bringing Morgan out of her thoughts.

"Ok um how bout…"

"Oh I know, one for all…" Amity giggled, suddenly feeling ridiculous about standing here in the girl's toilets with Morgan, each girl crying her eyes out and dirty mascara stained toilettes covering the benches.

"And all for one" Morgan finished.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone else was in here" Came a voice from the door. There stood a middle-aged lady with a roll of new tissues for the dispenser.

"I'll come back later then" She smiled and left.

Morgan and Amity erupted in fits of laughter.


	8. Goodbyes are hard

The next couple of hours passed by without incident. Morgan and Amity danced a couple of songs together out on the dance floor, much to the surprise of Amy and Billy. Soon after that, Morgan excused herself from Amity, saying she had better go and have a talk with Joel. Amity gave Morgan her mother's phone number and also, after Morgan requested it, her flight details for the next day. Morgan promised that if things went well with Joel tonight, that she'd see Amity off tomorrow. She said it was the least she could do after being such a bitch to her for so long. Amity had drinks with both Billy and Amy, and let it be known to them both, that tomorrow she'd be leaving to go home for a while. They were both a little surprised and disappointed, and when Billy asked her what brought all this on, she spun out her pre-planned explanation

_ "Without going into too much detail, a couple of things have come to my attention over the past couple days and the more I think about them, the more I feel that my place is back home with my family"_

Amy, who seemed satisfied with her answer, took down her number and address and promised to fly out to see her sometime next week. Billy, on the other hand, although he didn't let it show, instantly knew that something was seriously wrong and intended to get to the bottom of it before the night was out.

Once Amity had said her goodbyes to Billy and Amy, it left only Paul, Joel, Dusty and Benji to go. Since Joel was nowhere in sight, probably with Morgan, and neither was Benji, whom she really didn't feel like talking to anyway, that left only Dusty and Paul. Amity knew that saying goodbye to Paul would be pretty hard, since she had met him first and therefore known him the longest, she decided to leave him till last and made her way over to Dusty. 

A brief explanation of why she was leaving, followed by a quick kiss and a hug, wrapped things up between her and Dusty. He said he'd call her if he was ever in town, but Amity decided she wouldn't hold her breath for that one.

"You haven't seen Joel or Benji around have you?" She asked, trying her best not to stumble over the second one's name.

"Nah I haven't sorry. Oh I saw the back of Benji as he went off somewhere with Morgan, but I haven't seen Joel since we arriv…"

"What? Morgan and Benji?" Amity was shocked and made no effort to conceal it.

"Yeah, uh" He looked around.

"They went out the back about…*phew*…" He blew out a breath as he tried to put a measure of time to what he had witnessed.

"Amity you know I'm pretty wasted eh? So I'm gonna say about 10 minutes ago but you should add on about an hour" He laughed but Amity didn't find any of this funny at all. What could the two of them possible be talking about? 

_'Oh yeah….ME!!!!' _Amity thought and after quickly excusing herself from Dusty, made her way briskly over to Paul. She didn't have time to dally anymore. She wanted to get out of there, and fast!

"So you're just up and leaving?" Paul asked, getting up as she neared his table.

"Paul…" She knew he'd take it hard.

"No! Don't Paul me Amity; you owe me an explanation and a damned good one. And, if you think that I'm gonna buy what you told Billy and Amy then you're wrong" Which of the two had told him? Amity's guess was Billy, he had gone into one of his 'deep Billy modes' when she had delivered him her news. 

'That little…' 

"Well? Aren't you gonna say something? I thought we we're friends, then, I thought maybe we were more than friends, and then at the start of the night we were back to 'just friends' which I was cool with, but now…"

"We're still friends" Amity had to raise her voice to penetrate his babbling. 

"No, I don't think we are. Friends don't treat friends the way you've treated me" 

Amity couldn't believe her ears. Obviously Paul had been suffering for ages. She'd been so caught up in herself and her problems with Benji that she had failed to see it. 

"Oh Paul, you're right. I'm so sorry…" Amity broke down, much to Paul's surprise. He quickly grabbed her a napkin off the table.

"Thank you" Amity took it and wiped her eyes.

"I'm sorry you had to feel that way…I'm sorry that I couldn't have been a better friend to you and I'm sorry that I…" she sobbed.

"Rubbish, you've been wonderful to me. I was just pissed about you leaving, you know you shouldn't take any notice of me when I get like that" He smiled at her, and through tears she smiled back. She still wanted to get away from it all, this place, the staring people who surrounded her, and yet, she didn't want to be alone tonight. She needed a friend, a shoulder to cry on…

"Paul, will you please take me home" She asked, sniffling back the last of her tears.

"Will you tell me the real reason you're leaving?" He tested.

"I will, I promise" Amity said, and she meant it.


	9. Moment of truth

"If you're looking for Joel I saw him and he's gone home. You've sure got him whipped, poor guy looked like he was about to cry as he dashed outta here like a…"

"Ben-ji. Shut up" Morgan said irritably, drawing his name out as she often did when she was mad at him.

Recognizing her tone, Benji removed his eyes from the bottom of his empty shot glass and up to Morgan. His face, a picture of bewilderment. What had he done to attract her wrath?

"I need to talk to you about our mutual friend Amity. So, up now, and outside" She commanded, pointing to the door.

'Our mutual friend Amity? Since when had Morgan and Amity been chummy?' Benji thought to himself, as he followed Morgan's orders and stumbled outside. 

"Listen, I don't know what you've heard but I honestly had nothing to do with it." He said defensively.

"No, you listen and listen good. You treated her like shit and that's putting it lightly. I know this because she told me herself," Morgan was snapping at him now, and although he hated it, he knew she was right.

"When did you two become all friendly? Or have you gone gay now and that's why Joel ran out of here ready to bawl like the little pussy he…" he didn't have time to finish because Morgan clubbed him hard and fast across the face.

"Morgan what the fuck?" Benji said as he held his cheek. 

"What you did to her was the lowest! Do you have any idea how she's been feeling? Do you even care?"

"That's rich coming from you! You've treated Am- like crap since the first time you two met!!! What was with that Morgan? Were you afraid that she was gonna up and take Joel from you?"

Now it was Morgan's turned for a dose of truth. Since she had met Amity she had feared that she'd steal Joel away. In Morgan's opinion, Amity was far more beautiful than herself and always handled herself perfectly with anyone and in any situation. But that was all over with now. Morgan wouldn't let Benji mock her with her own insecurities.

"Yeah, but I'm not the one she's in love with!" 

Benji went still. So still that Morgan had to flail her hand in front of his face just to make sure he wasn't in the middle of having a stroke. 

He gently pushed it aside and took a seat on the sidewalk.

Morgan, completely calm now, took a seat beside him.

"I've really made a mess of things haven't I?" He said finally, after a couple of minutes.

"You love her too don't you?" she asked softly.

Benji, didn't say anything. He felt no need to justify such a stupid question with an answer.

"Was it Paul? I mean, did he stop you from telling her how you felt?" Morgan continued. Benji just wished she'd shut up and leave him alone.

"Benji say something," Morgan pleaded. Benji always got quiet in times like this, and she hated it. 

_'Thank god twins similarities rest only with their looks' _She thought.

'I couldn't stand it if Joel were like this' 

"Fine, you wanna be alone, then I'll leave you alone. But you'd better think fast about what you're going to do. Amity's leaving tomorrow and I guess I don't have to tell you whose fault that one is…" She got up to brush off her pants, but after hearing that last part, Benji grabbed her hand and nearly pulled her over onto the sidewalk.

"Going? How, when, WHERE!" He demanded. 

"Tomorrow, uh, morning I think. She's bussing to the airport and then flying…Hey! Where are you going?" She yelled as Benji fled away. 

Paul hadn't taken Amity home right away. First they had gone out for some late night coffee and a good chat. There she had spilled the whole story of her feelings for Benji, how she had come to realise it, and what had happened when she had tried to tell him. Paul listened patiently and even gave comments and feedback. Although it was all very kind and done with her best interests at heart, Amity took none of it seriously. By now she was well and truly sure that she and Benji would have no future together whatsoever. Even as friends. The more she heard, and the more she thought about it, the more she was anxious to get home.

He hadn't found her at the club. Not upstairs, nor downstairs, not in the bathrooms and not in any of the rooms reserved for private functions. She wasn't at his house, or hers. She wasn't at any of their regular hangouts either. It was like she had been nothing more than a dream he'd had, but with awakening, had come to realise had never truly been _real. _Benji, now nearly lost in despair, and realising there was no more he could do, returned home to his bed. Then a thought came to him! Amity was flying out tomorrow! Although he didn't know which flight she was on, he did know that she'd be bussing to get there. And as cheap as it was, he now thanked god that the airport only ran three shuttles out everyday. She'd be on one of them, and even if he had to spend all day out at the terminals, he'd be there waiting for her.


	10. Stay

Morning had arrived much to the surprise of Amity, whom after spending the majority of it talking to Paul, had found herself still awake when the sun had cast it's first light. After their coffee, Paul had driven her home and the two of them had conversed until 3am. Paul would have stayed longer had Amity not urged him out the door. Paul's heart, though always in the right place, at times would cast aside his own needs for the needs of others. After that, Amity had tried for the remaining 3 hours of darkness, to sleep, but it ended up being in vain. 

At 6:30am she had forced herself out of bed, and began to down another cup of coffee, to combat her weariness. 

"You look awful!" Amity's cousin Lauren said, emerging from her room in her robe and yawning.

"Did you sleep at all last night? I heard you and your friend talking" Lauren yawned again and went to the fridge.

"He left around 3am and then I couldn't sleep" Amity stared at her coffee, having developed a hatred for the wretched stuff.

"Well, if you jump in the shower now, I'll make you breakfast" Lauren said, glancing at her watch and sipping a coke.

"Deal" Amity replied, tipping her wasted coffee down the drain.

After enjoying a wonderful breakfast, consisting of slices of various melon, mixed with strawberries and grapes, then drenched in low fat yoghurt, Amity and Lauren were back to last minute packing. 

"Now make sure you be extra careful with this ok. I paid heaps for it and really want it to get to Aunty Caroline in one piece" Lauren said, as she added the finishing touches on her present for Amity's mother.

"I will, don't worry" Amity said, reassuringly.

Suddenly Lauren stopped packing and began to nervously pick at her nails, a habit which Amity hated.

Click…click…. click… 

"You know I hate that" Amity threw some discarded wrapping ribbon at Lauren.

"I know, and I'm sorry it's just that…you are coming back right?"

Amity went quiet. Although she had been treating her trip home as strictly 'short term' that wasn't entirely true. Amity knew that being back home would make her feel so safe and secure that after a couple of days there, she'd lose all will to return. But now, seeing Lauren so down, she wanted so badly to be strong, and  to put in a real effort to come back.

"Of course I'm coming back." She hoped it was true.

"Somehow, the fact that you've packed up everything you own, leads me to believe otherwise" Lauren accused.

"Geez, you sound like I'm abandoning you" Amity protested.

"Well in a way you are!" Lauren shot back.

Amity shook her head. Why was everybody suddenly baring their feelings to her? She couldn't take much more of this.

"Well, we had this whole plan Am-! Finish high school and move out to DC together! We've both got jobs and friends here, and I've got school…I mean, I thought you were gonna start classes at my college next year and I was even excited about that! You're not only my cousin, but you're one of my best friends aswell…and then you go and you get all these new friends, and their all famous and stuff, and then something happens with some guy and now you're just ditching me!"

"I'm ditching you? Is that what you think? How can you sit here and say these things to me? You know what happened between Benji and me, you know how hurt I am…Haven't you noticed what I've been going through the past couple of days? Lauren, it hurts so much! And although you're my cousin and I love you, I just can be here anymore" Amity had to control her voice, which was cracking up all over the place. She placed her palms to her cheeks and rubbed between her eyes. Everything was so messed up and she had no idea how it had all happened. If this is what love does to people, then she never wanted to fall in love again.

Lauren, who had thought it best to back down, after what Amity had just said, was now torn. On the one hand, she wanted Amity to stay, and although she knew it was selfish, she didn't give a damn. But on the other hand, she knew that it was Amity's life, and therefore the decision to leave was also up to her. But Lauren knew that there were other things to consider. Things, which she believed Amity, in her sudden haste to depart, had neglected to give thought to. How were Amity's friends feeling? Surely the friend that had stayed half the night talking to her, didn't want Amity to leave either, and what if Amity was wrong, and that guy that she loved, felt the same way, Amity's leaving, or running away, would ruin any chance for things to ever work out between them. Could Lauren just sit back and let her leave without informing her of the full picture? Or had Amity already seen the full picture and after reviewing it, decided to put herself first.

"I just don't want you to go" Lauren mumbled, through tears.

"I think you're leaving for the wrong reasons, and I think that you should talk to that guy, and…Am-, what am I gonna do here all alone?"

Amity hated seeing her cousin in such a state. She knew she owed Lauren more than that; she had to comfort her somehow.

"I'll come back" was the best she could manage.

"Yeah" Lauren nodded, forcing a laugh. Amity knew she didn't believe her.

"Lauren, I promise I'll come back" She turned Lauren's head to face her.

"I Promise" She repeated.

"Oh Am-" Lauren threw her arms around Amity's neck and did her best not to cry her makeup onto her shoulder.

Five minutes later, Amity was all ready to go. She now stood at the door awaiting her cab and Lauren, who had cheered up immensely, was waiting with her.

"Remember to call as soon as you land," She said

Amity was in the middle of replying her, when she remembered something important.

"Oh God, Lauren. My puppy! I left him at the guys' place" Amity began to panic.

"Ok Am- calm down, don't worry. I'll take care of it" Lauren said, assuming big sister mode which, since she was 2 years older, sometimes did.

Amity scribbled down the address and phone number and handed it to Lauren.

A toot sounded outside, and Amity knew it was time to leave.

"Well, take care of yourself girl" Lauren embraced Amity, one last time, and finished helping the driver load her luggage into the trunk.

As, she drove away; Amity placed a hand to the back window. Lauren remained waving on the street till Amity was out of sight.


	11. Leaving on a jet plane

"Get up slug!" Paul said, as he shoved Benji onto the floor. 

"Ah! FUCK!!" Benji swore, his face touching carpet.

"Shit, I guess I underestimated my own strength" Paul mused and grabbed onto his bicep.

"What's the time?" Benji blurted out, remembering Amity, and rubbing frantically at his eyes. He looked wide-eyed at Paul.

_'No wonder she loves him' _Paul thought, staring at Benji whose hair was all stuck to one side of his head, and who's makeup had smudged, giving him the appearance of a panda bear.

'The guy's so damn cute sometimes, even I could fall in love with him' 

"Don't worry, it's still early. You didn't think I'd let you sleep in, when you've got a job to do, did you?" He tapped playfully on the back of the couch.

By now, Benji was utterly dazed. His head was killing him, his eyes were blurry and his jaw hurt from the fall.

"Dude, don't riddle me" He said, rubbing his sore jaw and yawning so hard that his eyes watered.

"Bro, you look like shit" Paul laughed and glanced at his watch.

"Amity's cousin called me about 5 minutes ago, it seems Amity forgot her dog, oh, by the way, does that thing have a name yet?" He asked, almost comically.

"Oh, this is bad…"Benji got up from the couch and placed his hand over his mouth. Then he stopped and looked at Paul. A confused expression passed across his face.

"Wait a minute, you woke me up to tell me Amity had just left didn't you?" he asked.

Paul's grin spread like peanut butter.

"Yep. Dude, she told me everything last night. I mean, at first I was pissed at her for dumping my ass, but after she told me that it was because she was in love with you…"

_'Does everyone know?' _Benji thought.

"So, are you leaving to stop her or what? Cause boy, the way I see it, you now got…" Paul glanced back to his watch.

"About 12 minutes to be out that door"

Benji, dashed upstairs.

Soon after he had left, there was a faint knocking at the door, followed by a quick buzz on the bell.

Paul, who had been eating toast, brushed off his shirt and went to answer it.

"Hi, I'm Lauren," Said the visitor. Paul, was momentarily struck dumb, she was so beautiful.

"We, ah, talked on the phone. I'm Amity's cousin" She filled in, and extended her hand to Paul's.

It took a full ten minutes for Amity to tag all of her luggage. Two of the pens that the lady behind the counter had given her hadn't worked, and in the end she had resorted to fishing her own one out of her handbag. Now, she was standing in line, and after already waiting for 15 minutes, was beginning to get the distinct impression that she'd be here for at least! Another 15.

'Things are so slow that it's almost like life's trying to tell me something' 

That one thought, acted like the snowball in the avalanche. Suddenly her head was swarming with thoughts. _Why am I doing this? Should I be doing this? Paul didn't want me to go, Morgan didn't want me to go and neither did Lauren. Maybe they're all right, maybe I am just making one BIG mistake. I shouldn't be so weak, that's what I am, weak. Instead of facing my problems I'm running away like a scared little child…I…_

'Bus 457 to DC airport, boarding now' the announcer called out, interrupting Amity's thoughts. The line in front of her began to move.

With a screech of brakes and a cloud of exhaust, Benji jumped out of his jeep, which he had carelessly double parked, and made his way hurriedly over to the terminals.  He searched the faces of every person he passed, but none of them were Amity. Buses were arriving and departing all over the place. __

_'Which one is hers?' _He thought, before deciding that he'd try them all if he had to. Luckily for him, it didn't come to that.

_457...DC Airport…_He read off the front of a bus up ahead. His heart beat faster, as he increased his pace to a run.

He grabbed the side of the bus and took the stairs 2 at a time. 

_'This is it!'_ He thought, as he ambled past a passenger who was loading his luggage into one of the top compartments. His heart pumped harder, and faster, beautiful adrenaline, cursed through his veins. He looked left, and then right, row after row after row, until…he reached the back of the bus. Amity wasn't there.

_'How can she not be here? This cannot be happening' _He thought despairingly. But it was. He had searched the entire bus and Amity was still now where in sight.

As he slumped back down the aisle, thoroughly deflated, and now receiving strange looks from a couple of the older travellers, he suddenly realised that the bus was only half full. There were still people getting on, and the driver was nowhere in sight. The bus wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. There was still time to find Amity. He'd ask at the cashier, get them to check that he had the right bus ,and then, if he didn't, he'd get them to check for Amity's booking. 

He walked through the sliding doors, past the laughing kids and the kiosk, past the restrooms and the pay phones, and was about to make his way over to the counter when he heard an engine start up. He spun around just in time to see Bus 457 depart. Now Benji was in a state of panic once more. Had Amity been on that bus? Was he already too late? Since he could stand the thought of not knowing, no more than he could stand the thought of her already being gone, he pushed past the two teenage guys in front of him, and made a beeline to the nearest ticketing counter.

"Benji?" A small voice, laden with insecurity, called out from behind. 

As Benji turned to face her, Amity saw every muscle in his body relax into utter relief. She couldn't believe it. He had come! But why? As her mind worked itself over, trying to find the answer, Benji began making his way over to her.

'Of course! He's come to apologise for those things he said to me. He must have heard I was leaving and come to apologise! That's why he's here. He'll come over and say sorry, then wish me a happy trip…not so bad. But how am I going to explain to him that I've changed my mind? That I'm staying!!!" Amity's palms began to get clammy. She quickly bit down on her lip.

They were now close enough to embrace, surely close enough to begin conversation, and yet, Benji said nothing. He just stared at her. 

He stared at her as though she were the most beautiful creature in the world, and it made Amity feel extremely uncomfortable. But why, she did not know. After all, to be looked at like this by Benji had been her dream! 

As she released her bottom lip from her teeth, and was on the brink of attempting speech, Benji moved a step closer and did something totally unexpected. He took his right hand and gently placed it on the side of her face. And as he did this, Amity's world slowed down. He touched her so softly, so lovingly, and so gently, as though she were as fragile as a bubble. He touched her because in that moment, he needed to touch her, just to be sure that she was real.

His fingers worked together, as they sort out a path through her hair. 

Each inch he passed, sent tiny ripples of painful pleasure, travelling at the speed of light down her spine. If speech had been at Amity's disposal, she would have begged him to stop, for although his touching was beautiful, it was tantalisingly soft, and tormentingly slow.

He pulled her closer, so close, that she could feel his breath on her face. 

His awed expression was gone; he looked so relieved to see her that Amity was sure he was going to cry. He took her in his arms, into his chest, and buried his face in her shoulder.

He squeezed her tighter, and tighter. And Amity felt as though she was dying. Her life had been turned upside down in an instant, and Benji had done this with no more than a hug. Being in his arms, gave Amity an overwhelming sense of purpose. As though her whole life, her entire reason for being, was somehow linked to this moment. That loving Benji was what she existed for! But would it last? Could it last? Or was she simply being set up for the most devastating fall in her life's history? 

Time to find out, Benji was pulling apart now, ready to resume his assault on her senses, with more touches, and a search for euphoria, which he seemed to find only in her eyes.

His own eyes were full of tears as he spoke.

"I thought I'd lost you" 

The way he spoke those words, gave Amity shivers of guilt. He sounded so distraught.

"I…I'm sor…" She stumbled

"Don't you ever scare me like that again". 

He embraced her once more.

Tears streamed down Amity's face as she wrapped her arms tight around his neck. 

"Benji, I'm s..sorry" She bumbled hopelessly over the words.

"Sorry for what?" He pulled back to look at her once again.

"That fight…It was all my fault, I shouldn't have come to you about Paul…I should have."

Benji was confused. 

Why was she apologising for that stupid fight? And then realisation hit home.

'She thinks I'm here to apologise. She doesn't know that I know that she loves me. She doesn't know that I feel the same!!'

"Amity! That…was…" How could he tell her she was wrong without making her feel stupid?

"That was just me acting like a total jerk because I was jealous and hurt. I thought you were in love with Paul"!

'W..what' Amity mouthed in silence.

What Benji had just said, no matter how much she tried to absorb it, it just wouldn't go, there was something about it that just sounded so familiar…

"Ok, bare with me here for a sec ok? Say you're Benji and you like Amity. Now, how is seeing her hanging around with Paul everyday gonna make you feel? And now imagine that Amity comes up to you one day wanting to talk to you about her relationship with Paul. How do you react, being Benji?"

That was it!! Morgan!

'But if Morgan was right all along, then that means that Benji is in love with me?'

The thought was too good to be true. She had to know!

"You're saying that…?" She nervously began her question.

"I'm saying that I love you! I've always loved you."

Amity was flabbergasted. 

"Amity, I'm so madly and crazily in love with you and everything you do. I love the way your hair falls in your eyes, and how you blow it back only to have it fall down again…" He gently touched her hair…

"I love your smile, and the way you bite your lip when you're nervous" 

'Had he been watching me all that time'? She wondered. 

"And how you bake the worlds most delicious cookies…" He continued and Amity smiled.

"I love the way you take in homeless strays…" Benji paused

"And now…" He searched her eyes, seeking an answer to the question he had yet to ask.

"I'm just hoping that you can find it in your heart to take in one more" 

Benji stopped speaking and Amity just stared at him. For days now, she had suffered. Going to bed each night, alone to confront her feelings for Benji and daring to hope that he felt the same way for her. And, although wrestling and living with the pain, which had come after he had cruelly yelled at her, had been great. Seeing Benji now, pouring out his heart like he was, and begging her to love him back, was ten times worse. If there was ever a time for them, it was now. With that thought it mind, and about a million dreams of the future, Amity took up the chance that destiny was kindly offering her, and kissed Benji.

As their lips met for the first time, an elated Benji, smiled softly.

"I'm really glad you did that," He said, once they parted. Already his lips were longing for hers once more.

"Yeah" Amity sighed, suddenly overcome with giddiness. 

"I was running out of things to say" He teased.

_Amity laughed, and to the music of claps and whistles, which had erupted from a select group of enthusiastic bystanders, she claimed his lips again._


	12. Forgotten friends

Meanwhile, at the airport, Morgan waited patiently for Amity and at her side, sat Joel. Morgan had called him late last night, and over the phone the two had taken their first steps towards reconciliation. Though Morgan was devoted to upholding her promise to Amity, she was terribly worn out from waiting, and Joel's moaning, though intermittent, was grating on her nerves. To make things worse, two girls who obviously recognised Joel had been watching them like hungry wolves, ever since they'd come in. Usually, this wouldn't bother Morgan, shed just brush it off or tell Joel to hurry up and give them autographs and be done with it. But now, as the girls continued their relentless staring, giggling and pointing, Morgan's mood took a serious turn to the worse.

"I can't believe them!" She scowled.

"Can't believe what?" Joel asked innocently.

'Oh like he doesn't know!' She thought angrily.

"Those stupid girls" She snapped.

Joel looked blank.

"Joel! Where have you been all this time? They've been giggling and making googly eyes at you ever since we sat down! It's so fucking rude!!"

"Morgan, for fucks sake! Chill out" Joel coaxed, taking her hand and gently intertwining his fingers in hers.

Morgan relaxed tremendously; she loved it when he did this.

He softly kissed her forehead as she leaned into him.

"Beside, if anyone should be complaining its me, we've been here almost an hour now…"

Morgan knew he was only kidding, but none the less, she felt her temperature rise.

'Why did he always have to go and ruin the moment?' She fumed and got up from her seat.

"I'm going to try and call Amity, see where she's at" She said, and abruptly left.

Though he was confused, Joel had come to expect this sort of thing from Morgan.

'One minute we're close and then…'

"Hey, you're Joel from Good Charlotte aren't you?"

Joel looked up to see two girls of about 17, staring down at him. They had pen and paper in hand, and each wore an eager and hopeful look on their face. Joel, no stranger to these types of fans, knew this look well. It was almost as though they expected something a little more than an autograph or a picture.

As Joel took the paper and pens mechanically from their hands and began the gruelling task of making small talk, he kept thinking of Morgan. After the fight they'd had last night, Joel had spent the entirety of the night in turmoil. All he wanted in the world was Morgan, and last night he'd come dangerously close to ruining all of that.

"So that girl you were with…was she your girlfriend?" One girl asked.

"Yeah?" chimed the other.

'That's none of your fucken business' was what he thought.

"Uh, yeah, she was" was what he replied.

"Awww, that's too bad" The first girl spoke again.

'Not for me it ain't' He thought, giving both the girls a once over with his eyes.

Joel usually never allowed himself the luxury of such thoughts; he knew it was mean and therefore tried not to do it. But the sheer audacity of these girls…

"She didn't look too happy a minute ago, did you guys have a fight?" The other girl filled in, as she took a step closer.

Now getting the picture, Joel, wanting no more to do with either of these girls, and longing terribly for Morgan, began working towards letting them both down gently.

From where Morgan stood, she saw Joel's lips moving, and a shy innocent smile spread across his face. 

'Those little bitches' She thought.

She was jealous until Joel looked over to her, and then, instead of seeming guilty, he appeared nothing but relieved. He waved her over quickly, in fact, almost desperately. She noted, as she made her wave over to him.

As soon as the girls saw her, they fled like sprats from a shark. 

"You're back" Joel said gratefully and embraced her.

"And not a moment too soon" She smiled. Seeing Joel so obviously uncomfortable around those girls, made Morgan come to see just how much he both loved and valued her. 

"Joel, I love you" She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged his chest. 

"Girl, I love you too" He laughed confidently; secretly wishing that Morgan didn't hear his heart, as it now beat double speed.

"Did you get through to Amity?" He asked

"No, I didn't" She answered without a hint of frustration in her voice.

All her life's problems fell away when she was with Joel.

"What do you say we get outta here? Get some…" She looked at her watch.

"Lunch…and go back to your place"

"Sound's like a plan…Uh ok, I'm vibrating" He said and reached into his pants pocket.

"Hurry, it might be Amity" Morgan said, urging for him to hurry up and find his phone.

"Hello?" He said. 

It was Benji.

"Who is it?" Morgan asked frantically.

"It's Benj" Joel retorted.

"Oh ask him if…" She began, but Joel held his finger up to her to stop.

"Say that again?" He asked Benji.

As Morgan watched, Joel's facials went from puzzled to staggered, and as he hung up, he looked to her for an explanation.

 "Benji says to tell you thank you for beating the crap outta him, and says that him and Amity are now together"

"Morgan, Amity and Benji?" Joel couldn't believe he'd missed that one.

"She did it" Morgan said, more to herself than Joel.

"Did what? 

Morgan hurriedly relayed the details of her and Amity's conversations, and then their 'restroom' pact.

Joel gave her his undivided attention, but had to break, to laugh at her for the whole 'pact' thing.

"Babe, you're so cute" He playfully kissed her on the cheek and hugged her again. Over his shoulder, Morgan could see that the two girls were still there!

"Joel, those girls are still watching us" 

"Let them watch" He said, and kissed her deeply.

It was one of the most passionate kisses Morgan had ever experienced with Joel, and when they were finished, she was dying for more.

"Joel" She said weakly.

"Yeah" he replied.

"I'm ready to meet your mother now"

"Yeah?" He was so chuffed.

_"Yeah, this time I _really_ am"_


	13. Epilogue

AN: I was going to end it at Forgotten friends but then I decided that the story really needed an Epilogue. Hope ya like.

Two weeks had passed since Amity and Benji's first date with Destiny, and everyday since, had been like a dream for the young couple. They arose each morning to face the day together, and went to bed each night utterly content.

The band had managed to bring 3 new songs to completion for their third album, and had a further 4 in production. Billy and Amy's relationship was still going strong, and Paul was currently seeing someone too. Ever since the day he had opened the door to find Lauren standing on the front step, he had been totally captured by her. Lauren, who had instantly felt the same way, had taken no time in telling him her feelings, and now the two were inseparable. Morgan and Joel were also living on cloud 9, and yes, Morgan finally met Joel's mother. 

Now, as the gang sat around the table, having just enjoyed a scrumptious Italian meal prepared by Amy and Billy, Morgan told the tale to the group, much to Joel's embarrassment and Benji's delight.

"But Joel! You were so adorable…I have to tell them" Morgan insisted and playfully pulled Joel's hand away from her mouth.

"Seriously guys, he used to have a superman outfit, with the blue tights and the cute little red undies…"Joel cringed.

"Oh I remember that…" Benji laughed, pretending to be lost in the memory.

"There were pictures from when they went to Disneyland, and there's this scrawny little Joel, wearing a Mickey Mouse hat and bawling his eyes out because Benji's just taken a bite of his ice cream…" 

"What else could I do? He was always finding ways to eat my food" Joel said defensively.

Lauren and Paul began cracking up into hysterics and Amity poked Benji's stomach jestingly. They laughed till they hurt.

"Ok, Morgan that's enough…I can't take anymore" Paul put up a hand for her to stop, while clutching the other to his tummy.

 "Me too" Amy managed, gasping for air.

 "No wait!! Y-you…hav…n't  heard…" Morgan squeezed out.

"About Joel's… GI-Joe pyjamas and…his little blanket…" 

Everyone burst out in laughter once more as Joel's face went red with humiliation.

"Women" He said quietly to Benji, as Morgan carried on talking…

"You can't win with them" Joel expected Benji to agree with him and be on his side, but Benji only laughed harder.

"It's your own fault bro," He said, hitting Joel on the back

"You wanted her to meet mom"

"Joel" Morgan's voice brought his attention back to her.

"What was the name of that blankets you used to carry around? Your mother told me it had a name…"

"Haha, Yeah Joel…what was that blankets name?" Benji snickered.

Morgan, as though noticing for the first time, the over zealousness in Benji's voice, quickly turned to him.

"Oh and Benji, don't think I didn't see the pictures of you too" Benji's laughter began to die down, and fast!

"Oh Amity you really have to see them, if you thought the pictures of little Joely were funny you really should see little Benjamin"

"Hopefully one day I will" Amity smiled, and cuddled into Benji's chest.

"Awww aren't they just the sweetest Billy?" Amy asked

"I know something sweeter…" He replied, adoringly placing an arm around Amy's shoulders, before delivering a gentle kiss to her lips.

Just then, Amity's dog walked in closely followed by cash. 

"They've become such good friends, and it's only been 2 weeks" Amity commented.

"Doggie years babe" Benji explained.

"Come here Cash!" Joel called.

"C'mon Bizkit" Amity said, holding her hands out for the dog to smell.

As the dog ran over to her, Benji grabbed it up from the floor and brought it into their laps for a hug.

"Hey that reminds me, the cookies" Amity exclaimed, as she hauled herself up from under Bizkit and made her way into the kitchen.

"That's a good boy…good vicious little Bizkit" Benji said, in a baby voice, while running the pup's underbelly.

"Hope you're all still hungry" Amity said cheerfully, placing the plate of fresh baked cookies on the table.

"Yes ma'am" Paul said, reaching for one.

"All that laughing's given me a mighty appetite"

"Same goes for me" Morgan laughed, and after having a bite of her cookie, looked both pleased and pleasantly surprised.

"Amity these are delicious" she said with praise.

Amity smiled and taking three cookies from the plate, put one in both Benji and Bizkit's mouths, and then happily bit into her own.

AN: Well that's all folks! 

Just wanted to say that I hope no one was offended by the portrayal of Good Charlotte in this story. I really enjoyed writing it, so I hope you all enjoyed reading it! Thanks for all your reviews and keep them coming. It may take me awhile to write another GC fic, gotta get the inspiration back ya know…but if anyone has any good ideas for one, or a request, then feel free to write to me at Bens_Blue_Lady@hotmail.com and I'll see what I can do for ya!

Laters

BBL


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